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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. foot — a measure
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bass — the fish
  6. saw — the tool
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bore — to tire
  9. can — a tin
  10. snap — to click
  11. bass — low music
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. saw — the tool
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. can — a tin
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bass — the instrument

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com